The Duchess Wears Roksanda for Sydney School Visit UPDATED

They arrived at Macarthur Girls school in Parramatta shortly after HSC students had finished an exam, and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was the warm up act.

“Most of you would probably have got up this morning, got ready for school and turned up thinking it was going to be a normal day at Macarthur Girls School. Is that right?” she told a special outdoor assembly.

..the whole school erupted in shrieks and cheers as Harry and Meghan walked into the assembly.

In this quick video of their arrival, the students really do sound excited.

Safe to say that #harryandmeghan turning up at MacArthur Girls High school in west Sydney was quite a surprise to the students!! Listen to the screams! Meghan changed into the Roksanda ‘Athena’ dress (hope it brought her wisdom…) pic.twitter.com/4DrQ811cF2

In this photo I *think* the Duke and Duchess are being welcomed to the school.

We return to The Australian’s coverage:

A group of dancers first entertained their loved-up royal guests with a dance to the Frankie Goes To Hollywood version of The Power of Love.

💃 A beautiful performance at Macarthur Girls High school, which The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are visiting to to see their inspirational work being done by students in human rights, social justice and women’s empowerment. #RoyalVisitAustraliapic.twitter.com/eu4xhLDm4z

Kensington Palace says the Duke and Duchess were visiting the school “…to see the inspirational work being done by students in human rights, social justice and women’s empowerment.” Below left you see NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

“You guys all remind me so much of myself when I was growing up,” the Duchess, who has been a long-term advocate for women’s rights, told 14-year-old girls. “I went to an all girls school which was incredibly diverse as well.

“I think being around such empowered young women, it becomes something that you all just grasp onto to understand your world.

“It’s made you confident, well-spoken. You have an intention set to really do something to change the world, and you have to keep it up.

“It makes me so emotional. You’re doing really, really good work and I’m so happy that we’re here. We give you our full support.”

The In League In Harmony program aims to promote social cohesion by addressing issues such as social disengagement, racism, gender inequality and bullying and empowering youth to be agents of change in a bid to create a more cohesive and inclusive society.

The couple meeting administrators at the school.
Now to Meghan’s look for the school visit. She was in a Roksanda Ilincic dress, the Athena style.

The navy and light blue dress is a poly crepe with a touch of Elastane for stretch and comfort. The A-line piece is a simple cut, with an exposed back zipper and full skirt. It is available at Net-a-Porter in limited sizing ($1850); at Harrods the dress is much less expensive, $1470. Another thank you to the inimitable Laura for her dress ID.

Meghan wore her Stuart Weitzman ‘Legend’ heels in the ‘haze’ colorway ($375). We show the shoes below when Meghan wore them for engagements on Tuesday.

The Duke of Sussex, along with Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison and three Invictus athletes took just 13 minutes complete the climb.

Luke Hill, a swimmer, who was deployed to Timor-Leste three times, Captain Ruth Hunt, who will take part in the indoor rowing and swimming, and Peter Rudland, who was deployed to Cambodia, twice to Iraq, twice to Timor-Leste and Afghanistan, and will compete in the cycling and wheelchair rugby, all made their way to the top of the bridge for the flag ceremony.

Also climbing the structure built in 1932, was Gwen Cherne, who is an ambassador for the Games.

The goal: officially raise the Invictus Flag in advance of Saturday’s opening ceremonies.

We will see you shortly with coverage of the couple’s evening engagements.

UPDATE: We will not be doing a third post today, there isn’t enough new material to merit a separate post clogging your in-box, especially since Meghan remained in the Roksanda dress for the day’s remaining engagements.

“It was a privilege for Chloe and me to meet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex this afternoon to discuss their visit to Australia, including the Invictus Games, and their great work in youth mental health,” he tweeted after the visit.

The day’s second formal call was at Kirribilli House, the Prime Minister’s secondary official residence (the first is in Australia’s capital of Canberra), where Meghan and Harry were meeting Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny.

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37 Comments

Seeing Meghan in the blue and blue dress made me so very happy as a fellow sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma! Our colors are dark and light blue and Athena is on our Crest. Couldn’t have picked a more Kappa dress if I tried. She would have been aware of the significance of the colors and dress name when she chose to wear it to the Girl’s School. I doubt it was a contributing factor in wearing the dress but I like to think that the DoS thought of her sisters when wearing it.

That hair! That dress!! I think this was the best outfit of the tour. The most traditionally “Duchess” look of them all – and she looks so lovely in it. I just really love this hair style on her!! (I love her normally straight sleek hair style and/or her up-dos. But this one stands out so much because of how different it is.)

I’m getting tired of leaving a comment on this site. I just left one and after I pressed submit, it disappeared. This is the second time this has happened. I don’t like to compare sites but this hasn’t happened to me on WKW. I probably won’t post again. I also find the DoS clothes boring on this trip so I’ll wait a couple months and come back to see her maternity clothes.

This dress and the white sheeth are my favorites of the tour. The rest of the navy dresses are blending into one in my head. I was hoping for a little more interesting, out of her comfort zone a bit. I have not seen any WOW outfits yet. I know her style is neutrals and simple but this is a Royal Tour and in the past the fashion game has been stepped up. I have liked her hair on the tour but this half up looks too messy for me. I know I’m in the minority but the top part looks like it wasn’t combed and those two parts hanging down are distracting from her pretty face, to me. Kudos to the DoS for being able to attend all the functions. I get tired watching her and I’m not pregnant!!

I went to open up this edition thinking “Will it be dark blue again???” … and bingo, it was! But I love the full skirt and trim well-fitted bodice and the color blocking. Love he hair that way, adds a little verve!. The most important thing, of course, is that they both seem at ease and happy.

Just love this dress with the 2 blue contrasts olus the nude heels. So on trend at the moment and Meg is really rocking the fashion envelope on this tour. Wish they would just come and live in Australia. Governor General role is vacant in March

I love the navy & pale blue dress, put the shoes are all wrong. They should have been her navy leather pumps. Because of the lighter blue on the bottom of the dress, there is no flow of color, a navy pump would have finished off the look beautifully. This is possibly one of her best dresses she had pick and it looks like the shoes were an after though.

Oh well, after our brief acquaintance with a print we are back to business-like navy, it certainly works for meeting politicians. I was surprised at the last Ilincic show I saw online because the colours were more subdued than before and the pale-blue contrast panel at the hem here seems lacking in purpose.

I suppose the fun of the garment is meant to lie in the very full skirt. But I have a further problem with the outfit as a whole in that Meghan’s hair seems to have been oddly piled up on top so that, coupled with that ‘50s-style skirt and cutaway shoulders, she ends up creating an odd sort of pyramid silhouette. I find this disconcerting.

The nude courts seem out of place and for me the earrings are jarring with the navy rather than connecting with the faraway pale blue hem. I am a fan of the bracelet at least, Meghan favours some very delicate and feminine pieces.

I am in love with Meghan’s hair! It looks fresh and modern and pairs nicely with the fit and flare style of the dress. I imagine it would’ve been difficult to find a shoe to match the dark blue of the dress exactly, so maybe it was easier to go with a nude shoe than risk clashing blues. I have no objection to nude shoes in general, but something about the suede finish seems to clash with the fabric of the dress.

It seems like as the tour progresses, the theme of some of the comments seem to be getting a bit more critical with respect to the Duchess’s choices in fit and color. She’s sticking true to her style and color preferences and I think she’s looked great so far (especially for being pregnant)! The tour wardrobe was being prepared as the northern hemisphere was transitioning to autumn…that’s not exactly a prime time to shop for bright colors and floral patterns (be it high fashion or high street). Maybe that, combined with her style preferences, made it difficult to find lighter or brighter choices? In any case, we all likely have our preferred colors and fits that we know work well on us. If I had to commit to so many work engagements while worrying about nurturing a healthy pregnancy, I’d be sticking to what I know works for me as well.

In my office, all of the women wear nude shoes with navy. I’m actually one of the few who has and wears a pair of navy pumps – otherwise it’s always nude shoes. It might be mine in particular, but when wearing solid navy, the navy shoes just feel a little too monochromatic/boring (though I wear all black head to toe regularly so who knows why that is). All this to say – I love a nude shoe with navy and it’s very widespread!

Erika – I wear cognac/British tan color shoes or boots with navy – a beautiful contrast when paired together. You can’t go wrong with any of these combinations – navy/navy, nude/navy, tan/navy, red/navy and so on. Depends though on how formal the occasion or office attire – most offices have opted business casual or for client visits a bit more on the formal business attire side. I always liked to have a bit of fun with my look for the office when I was traveling into Manhattan more often – hints of bright colors tossed in but that’s the graphics/fine artist/fashionista in me. However, I also love a good monochromatic look – tones and shades of the same color worn together. Really it’s what you are comfortable with/in. 🙂 – SAC

I like this whole look on Meghan, right down to the nude heels. I am not a fan of matching shoes, particularly when worn with a large ngish skirt length like this one. a Nancy shoe would stop the eye, whereas this nude one kind of disappears. Not every element of an outfit has the make a statement.
My favorite look of this post is on Gladys Berejiklian. Her dress looks like it came right out of Meghan’s closet, and I can imagine Meghan complimenting her on it. Clearly, Ms. Berejiklian did some research!

I am a major fan of neutrals, navy in particular, and understand why she wears so much of it. However, a different color would be nice. The hair is very ‘Jersey Shore’ with the bump in the back. No bueno.

This is a great look–the tousled, teased half-up do plus the dirndl-skirted, tight bodiced dress are all very Brigitte Bardot to me, and yet the color and the high neckline keep it professonal.

I am forever a fan of nude suede shoes, but honestly, they aren’t the right choice for *everything.* And you know the DoC has some fierce and interesting shoes in her wardrobe. She’s got enough dark blue going on so that she should start amassing a collection of professional but interesting navy shoes, just as she has black ones.

I am so glad you referenced Brigette Bardot! I’m not a fan of half-up styles on grown women; it looks juvenile to me. BUT: if you drop Bardot into the conversation, that certainly changes the equation!

Oh those students must have been so thrilled! How exciting for them. I also went to an all girls’ school for a few years in high school, I ended up leaving at the end of 10th grade not because of the all girls’ environment but for other reasons. I will say it was great not having to worry about what to wear every day since I just wore a uniform. Having boys in a classroom adds such a different dynamic!
I really like Meghan’s dress and the nude heels. Perfectly work appropriate. Some people seem to have issues with the shoes it but in one of the pictures Meghan is sitting across from another women in a navy blue polka dotted dress who is also wearing nude heels (the Prime Minister’s wife). A lot of women do this (including Kate!). I guess I’m in the minority on her hair. Usually I love it but I am not loving the shorter pieces in the front not being pulled back, it’s distracting and really triggering my OCD!

My favorite look of the trip so far. I think her hair is my favorite part of the look. I think had she worn navy shoes they wouldn’t have been an exact enough match and it would have been noticeable. Love that she’s been repeating shoes and accessories. I can’t even imagine how many suitcases she brought with her for this trip so it’s nice to see the practical and budget friendly repeat stuff.

I like the hair. I have liked Meghan’s hair styles this trip, especially since she is taking risks. I like the fit and design of this dress, but not the color. I want some other colors besides blue or black from Duchess Meghan. If the body of the dress was periwinkle and the bottom dark blue then it would be great and compliment the more feminine hair style. The nude shoes does nothing for this dress. Still love her and still think she is doing a great job. Looking forward to the next outfit.

Super pretty dress, but alas it is navy blue once again. The coloured hemline, however, adds an interesting touch. Nice how the earrings pick up the colour of the lighter blue. Meghan’s hair is lovely. The shoes just don’t work. Surely navy shoes should have been worn.

Yes Harry, Kirribilli House looks like a “lovely spot” and Meghan looks elegant and poised sitting by Harry in her Kirribilli dress. Surrounded by the Prime Minister, his wife and other officials she and the other women are a study in blue in the sunlight.

Remarkable how Meghan is once again able to relate to and encourage the young girls at Macarthur Girls School while being inspired herself. Humbling and menial jobs such as taking out the trash do build character and so do climbing to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge with your team mates. Well done Meghan and Harry!

this to me is an example of a professional working-woman outfit – its pretty, its appropriate, she looks nice in it – it is nothing amazing and not very memorable IMO, but not everything she wears has to be. I feel many of her outfits on this tour are on the simpler side, but she will probably be able to get years worth of wear out of them, so practical from that aspect. And simple clean lines look really nice on her.

I went to an all-girls school, I’m trying to imagine the reaction if Harry had walked in during an assembly, LOL.

This is my favorite look so far on this trip. Her half-up hair do looks perfect. Meghan doesnt seem to prefer a neatly coiffed do, and the controlled messy look suits her well.
And I dont mind that her dresses have a similar cut or look, don’t we all have a style preference?

I usually love Roksanda colour blocking, and this is no exception. Really pretty dress, and unsurprisingly in Meghan’s preferred colour of the trip so far. She looked lovely. I wouldn’t have chosen those shoes, and can’t understand why she did, but each to their own, I guess! Lastly – this school sounds amazing!